Geomalacus is a genus of large air-breathing land slugs, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Arionidae, the roundback slugs.
| Geomalacus | |
|---|---|
| |
| drawing of Geomalacus maculosus | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| Subclass: | Heterobranchia |
| Order: | Stylommatophora |
| Family: | Arionidae |
| Genus: | Geomalacus Allman, 1843[1] |
| Subgenera and species | |
| |
Etymology edit
The Ancient Greek word geo (γη) means the Earth. The Greek word malacus (μαλαχὀς) means mollusc.
Distribution edit
Western Europe
Species edit
This genus contains the following species:[3][4]
subgenus Geomalacus
- Geomalacus maculosus Allman, 1843 - Kerry slug
subgenus Arrudia Pollonera, 1890[5]
- Geomalacus anguiformis (Morelet, 1845)
- Geomalacus malagensis Wiktor & Norris, 1991
- known by some as Geomalacus moreleti (Hesse, 1884)[6]
- Geomalacus oliveirae Simroth, 1891
Description edit
Animal limaciform, subcylindrical, blunt behind, with a but little developed mucous pore; mantle anterior, close to the head, concealing a shell-plate; a distinct locomotive disk; respiratory orifice on the right anterior margin of the mantle; genital orifice behind and below the right eye-peduncle. Shell-plate calcareous, ovate, small and solid. Jaw costulated; lingual dentition as in Arion.[7]
The main diagnostic feature of the reproductive system differing from genera Arion, Letourneuxia and Ariunculus is, that species in the genus Geomalacus has atrium with diverticulum.[8] The free oviduct is short; the retractor muscle is attached to the spermatheca duct; vas deferens and epiphalus are long.[8]
References edit
This article incorporates public domain text from reference.[7]
- ^ Allman G. J. (1843) "On a new genus of terrestrial gasteropod". The Athenaeum 1843 (829): 851. London.
- ^ Pollonera C. (1890) Boll. Mus. Zool. Comp. Torino, 5, no. 87, 36.
- ^ Species in genus Geomalacus. AnimalBase, accessed 13 August 2009.
- ^ Geomalacus. Fauna Europaea, accessed 16 August 2009.
- ^ Pollonera C. (1890) Boll. Mus. Zool. Comp. Torino, 5, no. 87, 36.
- ^ Castillejo, J. (1996). "Deroceras ponsonbyi (Hesse, 1884) and Geomalacus moreleti (Hesse, 1884) in Gibraltar (Gastropoda: Pulmonata: Agriolimacidae, Arionidae)". Revista Real Academia Galega de Ciencias. 15: 23–34.
- ^ a b Tryon G. W. (1885) Manual of Conchology. Second series: Pulmonata Volume 1. Testacellidae, Oleacinidae, Streptaxidae, Helicoidea, Vitrinidae, Limacidae, Arionidae. 364 pp., 60 plates, page 232, plate 45, figure 14 (radula), figure 15 (jaw).
- ^ a b Platts, E. A.; Speight, M. C. D. (1988). "The taxonomy and distribution of the Kerry slug Geomalacus maculosus Allman, 1843 (Mollusca: Arionidae) with a discussion of its status as a threatened species". Irish Naturalists' Journal. 22 (10): 417–430.
External links edit
- Patrão C., de Sousa J. T., Jordaens K., Backeljau T., Castilho R. & Leitão A. (2013). "Geomalacus and Letourneuxia (Mollusca, Pulmonata): A Cytogenetic Assessment". Malacologia 56(1-2): 333-338. doi:10.4002/040.056.0222.